Exercising in the Heat May Cause Problems

Thinking about working out in the summer heat?  Think again!  Exercising in the strenuous heat may have its consequences.

According to the research from University of Nebraska, exercising in the heat, especially at high temperatures, may affect your muscles on a cellular level and decrease your overall performance.  The study continues by looking at the mitochondria and how it is affected by different temperatures.  The mitochondria dysfunction has a strong affect on obesity, diabetes, aging, and other conditions.

Researchers are looking for the optimal temperature for working out that could prevent dysfunction and lowering your susceptibility and rates to diseases. Dr. Dustin Slivka, PhD of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at UNO, stated that “if we can further optimize the outcomes of physical exercise then we can better combat these disabilities.”

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The study consisted of 36 subjects, where each group worked out in a hot 91 Fahrenheit degree, a temperament 68 F degree, and a cool 44 F degree temperature.  Researchers are trying to figure out how the tissue and cells react to each simulation.  They took samples of the muscle tissue on the thigh from each participants to compare and contrast.  This is an ongoing study that has another 18 months left, but there have been consistent findings from other research: study participants perform better in colder temperatures.

The reason why participants perform better in cold temperature is because they are more comfortable when exercising in that atmosphere.  The first few minutes may seem cold, but as the exercise progresses, heat is produced and will warm up the body.  However, when working out in the heat, it affects individual’s physiology, which can be a very negative experience.  Exercising in the heat may extract less motivation in people and they are more likely to overheat.

(Source: Health)